PROJ00495

• Contract/PO #: C153678
• Contractor Name: Lower Arkansas Water Management Association
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 67
• County: Prowers
• Bill Number: SB 96-124
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT SOURCES

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X-V Irriaatina Ditch

In April of this year, LAWMA entered into an option contract and purchase agreement
with Harland Cummings covering certain water rights and other assets associated with the
X-V Ranch. Specifically, the water rights consist of a) 66 of the 69 cfs decreed to the X-V
Irrigating Ditch, b) the entire interest of the X-V and Graham Article II Storage Account in
John Martin Reservoir, and c) the rights decreed to 15 wells in Case No. W-21 04. The other
assets included approximately 4,500 acres of land, of which approximately 3,026 are
presently irrigated. The purchase price set forth in the agreement is $3.08 million.

Mr. Cummings owns both the X.V and Graham Ranches and their associated water
rights. The X-V Irrigating Ditch, which diverts from the south bank of the Arkansas River
approximately 18 miles east of Lamar, is associated with the X-V Ranch, while the Graham
Ditch is associated with the Graham Ranch. Both water rights were decreed in the original
adjudication for Water District 67: the X-V Irrigating Ditch for 69 cfs with a July 22, 1889
priority, and the Graham Ditch for 61 cfs with an August 24,1891 priority. Originally, the
two ditches were operated separately; however, the water right for the Graham Ditch was
transferred into the X-V Irrigating Ditch in the late 1940's because of flood damage to its
diversion facilities. According to mapping done by the Colorado Division of Water Resources
and the Colorado Water Budget Documentation, approximately 6,438 acres were irrigated on
the two ranches in 1985 -- approximately 3,469 acres on the X-V.Ranch and approximately
2,969 acres on the Graham Ranch. Eighteen wells have been constructed and decreed on X-V
Ranch, and 13 on the Graham Ranch. All 18 wells are presently covered by membership in
LAWMA. Mr. Cummings is retaining two small land parcels on the X-V Ranch involving
approximately 443 irrigated acres, three X-V Ranch wells, and all the Graham Ranch. The
Graham Ditch water right was transferred to the Graham Ranch wells in Case No. W-4262
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in 1977 and will not be affected at LAWMA's acquisition of the X-V Ranch.

Table 10 summarizes the water diverted into the X-V Irrigating Ditch during water
years 1950-94. It was prepared from the official records of the Colorado Division of Water
Resources. This water averaged 7,584 acre-feet annually, and ranged from 893 acre-feet in
1965 to 20,740 acre-feet in 1994. Obviously, the low diversion in 1965 was related to the

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